Education at a Glance 2025: Korea
Table of contents
This country note provides an overview of the key characteristics of the education system in Korea based on data from Education at a Glance 2025. In line with this year’s thematic focus, it emphasises tertiary education while also covering other parts of the education system. The data in this note are provided for the latest available year. Readers interested in the reference years for the data should refer to the corresponding tables in Education at a Glance 2025.
Parental background remains a powerful predictor of educational attainment, perpetuating inequalities across generations. In Korea, 85% of 25-34-year-olds with at least one tertiary-educated parent have completed tertiary education themselves, compared to only 45% of those whose parents did not complete upper secondary education. Although smaller than the OECD average, the 40-point gap remains substantial.
Across the OECD, education systems have made progress in reducing the share of adults without an upper secondary qualification, with the average reaching 13% in 2024. Korea stands out with the lowest rate among all OECD and partner countries: only 1% of 25-34-year-olds have not attained upper secondary education, reflecting the country's high overall level of educational attainment.
Korea has the highest rate of tertiary attainment among young adults across OECD countries: 71% of 25-34-year-olds have completed tertiary education, compared to the OECD average of 48%. Yet, the employment rate for tertiary-educated young adults in Korea remains relatively low: 80% compared to the OECD average of 87%. The unemployment rate among this group is also low, at just 4%, pointing to a significant share of highly educated young adults being inactive (neither employed nor looking for work).
Higher educational attainment also brings earnings advantages, though the size of these benefits varies by country. Workers in Korea with tertiary education earn 31% more than those with only upper secondary education. While this is below the OECD average wage premium of 54%, it remains a meaningful return on investment in education.
Korea’s high tertiary attainment contrasts with a notably low share of master’s graduates. While Korea has the highest tertiary attainment among OECD countries, only 3% of young adults hold a master’s or doctoral (or equivalent) degree, compared to an OECD average of 17%. This reflects a focus on undergraduate degrees, even though master’s graduates typically enjoy stronger employment and earnings benefits. In Korea, 25-64 year-olds with a master’s or a doctoral degree have an employment rate that is 7 percentage points higher than those with a bachelor’s degree, and earn 33% more.
Despite high levels of formal education, 33% of 25-64 year-olds in Korea have low literacy proficiency, defined as Level 1 or below in the OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) 1. However, proficiency levels vary considerably across age groups in Korea, reflecting the rapid increase in educational attainment. This suggests that a significant portion of the older population may have difficulty engaging with common literacy demands.
Literacy skills are declining over time, raising concerns about the effectiveness of education systems in maintaining adult competencies. Between Korea’s participation in PIAAC Cycle 1 (2014) and Cycle 2 (2023), average literacy scores for tertiary-educated adults dropped by 27 points (from 291 to 264), while scores for adults without upper secondary attainment fell by 36 points (from 230 to 194). However, these changes coincide with an increase in tertiary attainment: as more adults obtain a tertiary qualification, the average skill levels may shift downward. This highlights the importance of ensuring that higher educational attainment is accompanied by strong learning outcomes for all. It also suggests a need for a lifelong learning strategy or continuous skills development to sustain economic growth.
Demographic shifts are putting pressure on Korea’s education system to adapt. The number of children aged 0–4 fell by 40% between 2013 and 2023 and is projected to decline by another 6% by 2033. These trends will impact school enrolment, resource allocation, and the future size of the labour force, demanding proactive policy planning.
Government investment in education is high in Korea, but spending differs by level. Korea spends USD 21 476 per student from primary to post-secondary non-tertiary education, among the highest in the OECD. However, public expenditure per tertiary student is comparatively low at USD 6 617 less than half the OECD average (USD 15 102). Even when taking private and non-domestic expenditure into account, spending per tertiary student remains low in Korea (USD 14 695) compared to the OECD average (USD 21 444).
Korean students have less classroom time and often compensate with additional learning outside school. Compulsory instruction time in Korea is 655 hours per year in primary (OECD average: 804) and 842 hours in lower secondary (OECD average: 909). According to PISA data, Korean students also spend significantly more time studying than peers in other countries, reflecting strong academic pressure outside formal schooling.
Educational inequalities persist across generations. In all countries with available data, young adults (25-34 year-olds) are significantly more likely to attain a tertiary qualification if their parents have also done so. In Korea, 85% of 25-34 year-olds with at least one tertiary-educated parent have also attained a tertiary qualification, compared to only 45% among those whose parents did not complete upper secondary education. This tertiary-attainment gap of 40 percentage points is smaller than the OECD average (Figure 1).
Survey of Adult Skills, in per cent
Note: The percentage in parentheses represents the share of tertiary-educated parents.
For data, see OECD (2025) Education at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators, https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en, Table A1.4 (available on line).
The share of young adults (25-34 year-olds) without upper secondary attainment continues to decline across the OECD, reaching an average of 13%. This trend also continues in Korea, where the share fell from 2% to 1% between 2019 and 2024.
Individuals with greater educational attainment generally face a lower risk of unemployment and earn higher wages. Completing upper secondary education is particularly important in reducing the risk of unemployment. On average across the OECD, 12.9% of economically active young adults (25-34 year-olds) without an upper secondary qualification are unemployed, compared to 6.9% of those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment. Those who go on to gain a tertiary qualification see a relatively smaller further reduction in unemployment, with 4.9% of tertiary-educated young adults unemployed on average across the OECD. This pattern is similar in Korea (albeit at a lower level): 4.6% of young adults without an upper secondary qualification are unemployed, compared to 4.4% of those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment and 4.3% of those with tertiary attainment (Figure 2).
In per cent
For data, see OECD (2025) Education at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators, https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en, Table A3.5.
On average, individuals with a master’s or equivalent degree have significantly higher employment rates and earnings than those with a bachelor’s or equivalent degree. However, the share of young adults (25-34 year-olds) attaining a master’s or equivalent qualification varies widely across OECD countries, ranging from 1% to 39% in 2024. In Korea, 3% of 25-34 year-olds hold a master’s or doctoral or equivalent degree, which is below the OECD average of 16%. This share was the same in 2019.
The average wage gap between individuals (25-64 year-olds) with and without upper secondary educational attainment is relatively modest across OECD countries. On average across the OECD, workers without upper secondary qualifications earn on average 17% less than those who have completed upper secondary education, while workers with tertiary attainment earn 54% more than those with upper secondary attainment. In Korea, the wage gap between workers with and without upper secondary attainment is similar to the OECD average, at 16%. The gap between those with upper secondary and tertiary attainment is smaller than the OECD average, at 31%.
In most OECD countries, a significant share of adults have low levels of literacy proficiency, defined as at or below Level 1 (on a scale of 0-5) in the OECD Survey of Adult Skills, a product of the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). Individuals at this level can only understand very short texts with minimal distracting information. In Korea, 33% of 25-64 year-olds have literacy skills at or below Level 1, which is above the OECD average of 27%.
Educational attainment and skills are closely linked, although the strength of this relationship varies across countries. In Korea, tertiary-educated adults score, on average, 34 points higher in literacy proficiency than those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment in the Survey of Adult Skills. This gap is identical to the OECD average difference of 34 points.
Average literacy scores fell between Cycle 1 (2012-15) and Cycle 2 (2023) of the Survey of Adult Skills2. On average across OECD countries, the fall among adults with tertiary attainment was 9 score points, smaller than the average drop of 19 score points among adults without upper secondary qualifications. In Korea, average literacy scores for adults with tertiary attainment decreased by 27 points (from 291 to 264), while the score for adults without upper secondary attainment decreased by 36 points (from 230 to 194).
In Korea, as in all OECD countries, adults with better literacy skills have a higher participation rate in education and training. In 2023, 30% of adults (25–64 year-olds) with high literacy proficiency (i.e. at or above Level 4) in the Survey of Adult Skills participated in formal and/or non-formal education and training in the year prior to the survey, compared to just 13% of those with proficiency at or below Level 1.
Education systems must adapt to changes in the number of children by expanding or reducing provision accordingly. In many countries, the population of children aged 0-4 changed significantly between 2013 and 2023 and is projected to change further by 2033. Korea experienced a decline of 40% in the number of 0-4 year-olds, and is projected to see a decline of 6% between 2023 and 2033.
The share of students in lower secondary education who are at least two years older than the expected age for their grade varies widely across OECD countries, ranging from virtually none in some countries to over 10% in others. In Korea, the share is at the lower end of the OECD distribution in 2023, at 0.1%. In Korea, it is very rare to repeat a grade due to low academic performance. Unless students fail to meet attendance requirement of 190 days per academic year, they are generally promoted to the next grade.
Across the OECD, the two most popular broad fields of study are science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and business, administration, and law, each accounting for 23% of graduates from bachelor’s or equivalent programmes. They are closely followed by the broad field of arts and humanities, social sciences, journalism and information, at 22% of graduates. In Korea, 32% of bachelor’s degree students graduate from a STEM field, 14% from business, administration and law, and 23% from arts and humanities, social sciences, journalism and information.
International student mobility in tertiary education continues to rise across the OECD, with some countries experiencing substantial growth in the share of international students between 2018 and 2023. On average, 7.4% of all tertiary students across the OECD were international or foreign students, compared to 6% in 2018. Korea saw an increase, with the share rising from 2.7% to 4.6% (Figure 3).
In per cent
For data, see OECD (2025) Education at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators, https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en, Table B4.3.
There are significant disparities in how much governments spend each year in education across OECD, partner and accession countries. Korea spends USD 21 476 per student from primary to post-secondary non-tertiary levels, placing it near the top of the country range, which spans from less than USD 2 000 to more than USD 27 000 (Figure 4).
In equivalent USD converted using PPPs, expenditure on educational institutions
Note: Expenditure at tertiary level includes R&D. Expenditure per student in early childhood education is based on headcounts rather than full-time equivalent students. Expenditure at tertiary level for Luxembourg (USD 54 384) is not shown in the figure.
1. Year of reference differs from 2022.
2. Primary includes pre-primary education.
3. Includes payments by households outside educational institutions.
For data, see OECD (2025) Education at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators, https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en, Table C1.1 and Table C1.2.
In contrast to most other countries, government expenditure in Korea is lower at tertiary level, including research and development (R&D), than at primary to post-secondary non-tertiary levels. Government expenditure in Korea amounts to USD 6 617 per tertiary student compared to the OECD average of USD 15 102.
A large part of the disparity in expenditure per student across OECD, partner and accession countries reflects differences in national income levels. When expenditure is measured as a share of GDP, cross-country differences tend to be smaller, ranging from 2.5% of GDP to 6.9%. In Korea, education investment in primary to tertiary education stands at 5.6% of GDP, which is above the OECD average of 4.7% by this measure.
Governments are the primary source of education funding in all OECD countries, especially for the levels covered by compulsory education. In Korea, the government provides 96.1% of total funding for primary, secondary, and post-secondary non-tertiary education (before transfers to the private sector), which is above the OECD average of 90.1%. At the pre-primary and tertiary levels, private funding often plays a larger role. In Korea, 90.9% of pre-primary education funding (after transfers) and 59.8% of tertiary education funding (before transfers) come from public sources, compared to OECD averages of 85.6% and 71.9%, respectively.
At pre-primary level, government expenditure in Korea increased substantially by 46% between 2015 and 2022. This is despite a decrease of 21.4% in the number of children enrolled. As a result, government expenditure per child has increased, by 85.7%, compared to an average increase of 24% across the OECD since 2015.
Many countries are experiencing teacher shortages, reflected not just in the number of unfilled teaching positions, but also in other indicators such as the share of non-fully qualified teachers in the teaching workforce. In the 14 countries and economies with data available, 1.6% of teaching positions are unfilled on average, and 4.9% of teachers are not fully qualified. In contrast, Korea reports no unfilled teaching positions, and there are no non-fully qualified teachers. However, cross-country comparisons of these data should be made with even greater caution than in other areas, as teacher recruitment processes vary significantly, ranging from centralised systems with competitive national exams to fully decentralised hiring at the school level, making comparisons of vacancy levels difficult.
The amount of compulsory instruction time affects teacher salary costs as it influences the number of teachers needed, combined with other factors such as class size and teaching time of teachers. In Korea, students receive 655 hours of compulsory instruction per year in primary education and 842 hours in lower secondary education. This is below the OECD average of 804 hours in primary and 909 hours in lower secondary education.
In Korea, 36% of instruction time in primary education is allocated to mathematics and reading, writing and literature, falling to 24% in lower secondary education. In comparison, the OECD average is for 41% of instruction time in primary education and 27% in lower secondary education to be devoted to these core subjects.
Across the OECD, the average class size at primary level has not changed since 2013, at 20.6 students. In Korea, the average class size in primary education in 2023 was 21.6 students, down by 2.4 since 2013.
Countries use a range of admission systems to tertiary public education institutions. These vary as to whether admission is open or selective, and whether applications are submitted directly to institutions or to a central body. In Korea, admission is selective. Applicants submit their applications directly to institutions or to a central body, depending on the programme.
For more information on Education at a Glance 2025 and to access the full set of indicators, see: https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en.
For more information on the methodology used during the data collection for each indicator, the references to the sources and the specific notes for each country, see Education at a Glance 2025: Sources, Methodologies and Technical Notes, https://doi.org/10.1787/fcfaf2d1-en.
For general information on the methodology, please refer to the OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics 2018, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264304444-en.
Updated data can be found on line at http://data-explorer.oecd.org/ and by following the StatLinks in the publication.
Explore, compare and visualise more data and analysis using the Education GPS: https://gpseducation.oecd.org/.
Questions can be directed to the Education at a Glance team at the OECD Directorate for Education and Skills: EDU.EAG@oecd.org.
This work is published under the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Member countries of the OECD.
This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.
The statistical data for Israel are supplied by and under the responsibility of the relevant Israeli authorities. The use of such data by the OECD is without prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank under the terms of international law.
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← 1. Literacy proficiency is assessed on a six-level scale, from Below Level 1 to Level 5, with Level 1 or below considered low proficiency. Adults at Below Level 1 can understand simple sentences and locate individual words or numbers in short, unstructured texts, while those at Level 1 can interpret slightly longer or structured texts, such as identifying a relevant link on a website or locating information in a list.
← 2. Does not include adults who in Cycle 2 were only administered the doorstep interview due to a language barrier.